A simple disagreement over courtesy escalated into a deadly shooting outside a Dallas shopping plaza on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
Authorities have arrested 22-year-old Keona Hampton, charging her with murder in the death of 41-year-old Cecila Simpson. The dispute, which began over a failure to say “thank you” for a held door, spanned across multiple stores before ending in a fatal confrontation in the parking lot.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by WFAA, the initial argument ignited at a Five Below store, where Simpson reportedly became upset at Hampton for not acknowledging her after Simpson held the door for her as they both exited.
The confrontation continued into a nearby PetSmart, where Simpson reportedly alerted employees that Hampton was following her. The two women resumed their heated argument outside the store, in the shopping center’s parking lot.
The deadly turn of events was captured by cellphone footage taken by a witness.
The affidavit indicates that multiple gunshots were heard ringing out during the recorded dispute. The person recording then filmed Hampton walking away from the scene holding a black and silver handgun.
When police arrived at the location just after 1 p.m., they found Simpson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was rushed to a hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Hampton initially fled the scene but was apprehended by police hours later after her vehicle was pulled over. She was reportedly wearing the same clothes seen in store surveillance footage.
Hampton later admitted to detectives that she had been fighting with Simpson. The affidavit states that during the physical altercation, Hampton allegedly threw a drink bottle at Simpson and pulled out a gun after a witness attempted to intervene. A witness told police that Simpson struck Hampton several times while shouting at her to leave.
Hampton told police she shot Simpson because she was “just trying to get [Simpson] away from her.”
Keona Hampton has been booked into the Dallas County Jail and faces a murder charge.
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